All posts by h716a5.icu

How to watch Atletico Madrid vs Real Mallorca in La Liga in the US as well as kick-off time and team news.

Atletico Madrid will host Real Mallorcain a La Liga fixture on Wednesday at Wanda Metropolitano.

▶ Watch Atletico Madrid vs Real Mallorca live on ESPN+ today!

The hosts have lost their last three games against Mallorca in La Liga and could equal their longest losing streak to the Balearics in the competition, four in March 1999. However, they have won their last five home games in the league, their longest run since August 2021 (W7) and the longest current home winning streak for a team in the competition.

All eyes will be on Antoine Griezmann who has scored six goals in his last seven games for Atletico Madrid in La Liga at the Metropolitano and will look to add to his tally.

Meanwhile, Mallorca head into this fixture on the back of two wins on the trot, against Celta Vigo and Getafe. Coach Javier Aguirre will be hoping that Vedat Muriqi is on target once again having scored in each of his two La Liga matches against Atletico Madrid.

The manager boasts of a decent record against the Rojiblancos as he has three wins in six matches since Diego Simeone's arrival. Only Luis Enrique (5) and Marcelino Garcia Toral (4) have won more games against them during this period.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the US as well as how to stream live online.

Getty Images Kick-off timeGame:

Atletico Madrid vs Real Mallorca

Date:April 26, 2023Kick-off:2:30 pm EDTVenue:Wanda Metropolitano

The game is scheduled for April 26, 2023, at 2:30 pm EDT in the U.S.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHow to watch Atletico Madrid vs Real Mallorca online – TV channels & live streamsTV channels & streaming options

Country TV channel Live stream

U.S.ESPN DeportesESPN+

In the United States (U.S.), the game can be watched on ESPN Deportes and can be streamed live on ESPN+.

Getty ImagesTeam news & squadsAtletico Madrid squad and team news

Memphis Depay and Reinildo continue to remain on the sidelines with injuries. Meanwhile, Stefan Savic remains suspended.

However, they will be boosted with the return of Marcos LlorenteandGeoffrey Kondogbia.

Atletico Possible XI: Oblak; Witsel, Gimenez, Mario Hermoso; Molina, Marcos Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Carrasco; Morata, Griezmann

Position

Players

Goalkeepers

Oblak, Grbic.

Defenders

Gimenez, Hermoso, Molina, Doherty, Reguilon.

Midfielders

Kondogbia, Witsel, Koke, Niguez, Barrios, Lemar, De Paul, Llorente.

Forwards

Griezmann, Correa, Morata, Carrasco.

Real Mallorca squad and team news

Ludwig Augustinsson and Matija Nastasic joined Giovanni Gonzalez in the treatment room.

Meanwhile, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Antonio Raillo were cautioned in the previous match against Getafe and will miss this fixture with suspension.

Mallorca possible XI: Rajkovic; Sanchez, Valjent, Copete, Hadzikadunic, Pablo Maffeo; Manu Morlanes, Baba, Lee Kang-in; Muriqi, Ndiaye

Position

Players

Goalkeepers

Greif, Roman, Rajkovic.

Defenders

Valjent, Hadzikadunic, Copete, Costa, Maffeo.

Midfielders

Morlanes, Baba, Grenier, Lee, Rodriguez, Sanchez.

Forwards

Ndiaye, Muriqi, Kadewere, Prats, A. Rodriguez.

Head-to-head record

Date Result Competition

10/11/2022Mallorca 1-0 Atletico La Liga09/04/2022Mallorca 1-0 AtleticoLa Liga04/12/2021Atletico 1-2 MallorcaLa Liga04/07/2020Atletico 3-0 MallorcaLa Liga25/09/2019Mallorca 0-2 AtleticoLa LigaENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Mallorca TwitterUseful links

Real Mallorca team page

Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

Atletico Madrid team page

Goal takes a look at a group of young stars who could be about to break through into the mainstream over the course of the next few months

The new Premier League season is just hours away, and fans are excited to see their club's latest big-money signings in action.

Perhaps even more satisfying for a supporter, though, is seeing a young player flourish when given the opportunity on the biggest stage.

And so, while the likes of Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi are household names following their exploits last season, there are a whole host of teenage players ready to kick-start their careers in the coming months.

But who should you be looking out for when the teams are named on opening weekend? Goal breaks down some of the top talents the English top flight has to offer in 2019-20…

Getty ImagesMax Aarons | Norwich City

The most experienced player on this list in terms of senior appearances, the difference for Aarons is that all of his minutes came in the Championship, though the expectation is he will make the step up look effortless.

Despite the presence of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the 19-year-old has already been touted as a future England international right-back and was linked with Manchester United over the summer.

As impressive going forward as he is defensively, his form will likely dictate whether the Canaries are able to survive under Daniel Farke and re-establish themselves in the Premier League.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRhian Brewster | Liverpool

The Golden Boot winner as England won the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, Brewster has been beset by serious injuries ever since but is now fit and raring to make up for lost time.

With Daniel Sturridge having departed Anfield and with no replacement having been brought in from elsewhere, the expectation is that the 19-year-old will provide back-up for Liverpool's fabled front three alongside Divock Origi.

Some impressive performances early in pre-season suggested he is ready for that responsibility, and with the increased workload being placed on Jurgen Klopp's side this season he should have plenty of opportunities to make his mark.

Getty ImagesMason Greenwood | Manchester United

One of the biggest talking points of pre-season at Old Trafford has been the emergence of 17-year-old Greenwood as a viable first-team option for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Comfortable on both flanks and through the middle due to his ability with both feet, it would come as a huge shock were he not to make the matchday squad for United's opening game against Chelsea on Sunday.

There have even been some suggesting he be handed a starting berth such has been the impression he has made, and it is unlikely to be long until that comes to fruition.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesKi-Jana Hoever | Liverpool

Having made his Reds debut as a 16-year-old in the FA Cup against Wolves last season, versatile defender Hoever comes into the new campaign as a viable option for Klopp in a number of positions across the backline.

An eye-catching display in Liverpool's final pre-season friendly against Lyon suggested he has what it takes to hold his own against some of Europe's best, and he may well become a regular among the matchday squad as the season wears on.

If injuries were to strike then he may even find himself in the firing line before the campaign is out.

A mix of results saw an evenly spread XI named with two apiece from Liverpool, Everton, Leicester City, Bournemouth and Huddersfield

Getty ImagesJordan Pickford | EvertonPickford made five saves in preserving Everton's clean sheet at home to Chelsea.AdvertisementGetty ImagesSeamus Coleman | EvertonColeman made two key passes and two interceptions in Everton's home win over Chelsea.Getty ImagesWes Morgan | Leicester CityIn addition to scoring the winning goal for Leicester, Morgan made eight clearances against Burnley.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesNathan Ake | BournemouthThe Dutch defender made two blocks and four clearances for Bournemouth against Newcastle.

Mohammad Shahzad cracked 74 off 37 deliveries to set up an eight-wicket win for Afghanistan over United Arab Emirates

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Shahzad cracked 74 off 37 deliveries to set up an eight-wicket win for Afghanistan over United Arab Emirates. Asghar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari shut out UAE completely with an unbeaten 69-run stand in seven overs as Afghanistan chased down 165 with 16 balls to spare.Shahzad and Nawroz Mangal put Afghanistan on their way with a 43-run opening stand in four overs. By the time Shehzad holed out to long-off in the 11th over trying to hit his sixth six, Afghanistan had raced to 99.UAE’s batting had crumbled in their opening match against Scotland, but this time, they posted a competitive 164 for 6 after winning the toss. It was their bowling that proved no contest for Afghanistan.Shahzad powerfully cut the first ball of the chase, a short and wide one from Mohammad Naveed, for four. UAE’s seamers continued to bowl short and provide width, and Shahzad punished them for boundaries. He then slog-swept and stepped out repeatedly to lift the spinners for sixes. UAE’s fielding failed to support their bowlers, with misfields and a dropped chance off Stanikzai adding to the pressure.Stanikzai and Shenwari took over after Shehzad’s departure. Stanikzai kept the sixes coming to end on 44 off 33, while Shenwari carved fours through off to finish with 30 off 23.UAE’s openers Faizan Asif and Mohammad Shahzad had given them a solid start with a stand of 63 inside seven overs. But the introduction of Mirwais Ashraf sent back the openers and also slowed down the scoring. Swapnil Patil ran himself out cheaply and Shaiman Anwar fell to Hamid Hassan in the 17th over after looking good for his 35 off 25. Despite some late hitting, UAE finished on a par score when they could have managed more.

West Indies are a side built for Twenty20 cricket, but England have revolutionised their limited-overs cricket and will not be pushovers in the final

The preview by Sidharth Monga in Kolkata02-Apr-2016Match factsSunday, April 3, 2016
Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)Big pictureTest cricket originated in England, West Indies became its biggest stars. Fifty-over cricket originated in England, West Indies became its biggest stars. T20 cricket originated in England, West Indies are again its biggest stars.A little over two weeks ago, both teams were in Mumbai for their first match of this World T20. The England players stood at Marine Drive, unrecognised, and succeeded in hailing a cab after only 15 minutes, just like any average person. West Indies, though, could not move around without being mobbed. Kolkata provided another example. Tragedy had struck the city on the day of India’s semi-final when a flyover that had been under construction collapsed, killing 23 people. People huddled around TV sets at shops seeking information, and not watching cricket. But when the West Indies team arrived yesterday, they had hundreds greeting them at the airport, at the hotel, at the ground.With good reason. Though it is a bit of a caricature of “calypso cricket”, and it doesn’t quite do justice to how smart they have been, West Indies’ batsmen have been attractive. They play T20 cricket in its basest style and have taken power-hitting to a whole new level. They’ve got the nuances right too: they field acrobatically, and when under pressure they back themselves so much that it hardly seems like they are under pressure.Take away a bit of power-hitting, add some quicker sets of legs, and you have England. Quietly, they have revolutionised their limited-overs cricket. Among teams that entered the tournament in the second round, England are second only to West Indies in six-hitting, and only by a count of two. England make up for it with a lower dot-ball percentage – 33.85 to West Indies’ 45.44, but West Indies have conceded runs at only 7.25 an over compared to England’s 8.53. West Indies have edged England with their boundary percentage, but not by a lot.Clearly England’s one-day revival is not to be scoffed at. It was here, at Eden Gardens in 1987, that Mike Gatting was burnt for playing a “risky” shot that is considered commonplace now.A final can often come down to what you are at your absolute best at. If the pitch is flat, England will try to go well past the 182 they set against West Indies and lost in the league stage. West Indies, too, will have to match the quicker English fielders. If there was any danger of there being less attention on the final because India were knocked out, Kolkata put it to rest. When Darren Sammy stepped into the press-conference room, he was taken aback by the number of journalists waiting. It will be the same with the Eden Gardens crowd on Sunday; the final has come to its spiritual home in India, after having missed out in 2011.Neither Darren Sammy nor Eoin Morgan have had much time in the middle with the bat, but they have been inspirational captains•Getty Images/ICCForm guideEngland WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies WLWWWIn the spotlightSammy has faced 11 and bowled 12 balls in the tournament. It shows how good West Indies have been because he is the man to call when one of the five bowlers goes for plenty or when the batting fails. Sammy, though, will be disappointed that when things did go wrong he didn’t set them right. Against South Africa, he fell to an Imran Tahir wrong’un first up, but West Indies managed to close a tight chase. Against Afghanistan, though, West Indies went on to lose. Sammy has been a superb captain on and off the field, but in perhaps his last match for West Indies, Sammy will want to make a big personal contribution. The only thing better would be if Sammy weren’t even called upon.Ditto for Eoin Morgan, who has two golden ducks to his name. “It’d be nice to get past the dot ball,” he joked.Chris Jordan was 14 when he moved to England from Barbados. At one point he ran the risk of ending up as another Jade Dernbach, a big-hearted trier who couldn’t make it as England’s slog-overs specialist. England kept the faith in Jordan though, and his yorkers have carried the team into their second World T20 final. Unlike Dernbach, Jordan kept it mostly simple: bowl yorker after yorker after yorker. Against New Zealand in the semi-final, Ben Stokes benefitted from the pressure Jordan created. England won’t mind if the same happens in Kolkata. Sammy acknowledged the criticism that his team does not rotate strike enough, but also said the opposition has to stop them from hitting boundaries first. Jordan will be key for England.Team newsNeither team should have any reason to change the XIs that won them the semi-finals. If the pitch turns, they have two spinners each. If it helps the quicks, they have the bowlers to exploit that too. England had a couple of players down with illness in the lead-up, but they were fit and ready to train.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 David Willey, 11 Liam PlunkettWest Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Lendl Simmons, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Carlos Brathwaite, 10 Sulieman Benn, 11 Samuel BadreePitch and conditions”There is a nice covering of grass,” Morgan said. “Looks like a really good cricket wicket, which is good news.” Kolkata remains a good chasing ground with dew likely to play some part in the evening. There is a chance of a thunderstorm on Sunday, but not serious enough to disrupt the cricket.Stats and trivia Dwayne Bravo is four wickets from joining the two-member club of players with 50 T20I wickets and 1000 runs. Shahid Afridi and Shakib Al Hasan are already there. West Indies have met England in two major finals, and beaten them on both occasions, in the 1979 World Cup and the 2004 Champions Trophy. In three other finals, they have beaten England twice, and lost once, in Sharjah in 1997. Going into the final, Joe Root is the fourth highest run-getter of the tournament. With 195, he is exactly a hundred behind the leader, Tamim Iqbal. Among those who didn’t play in the first round of the tournament, Virat Kohli leads with 273 runs. West Indies played eight completed matches (and one no-result) between the last World T20 and this one, England played nine.Quotes”We are quite real about this. We know it is not going to be a normal game. Even in the semi-final there was quite a lot of hype of expectation playing the final. I want all of our players to embrace it. Tomorrow everything will feel rushed to start with, but we want to be in a really good frame of mind to slow things down when needed. Most importantly execute our skills.”
“We have studied England. We look at the players. They have a lot of match-winners. We don’t take that for granted. But after we have done that we shift the focus back on us… One of the senior players made a comment in a team meeting, I think it was Dwayne Bravo, the only team that can beat us is ourselves. We believe that. Only we can defeat ourselves. Once we do what we know we do well, we will win. That’s the mentality we take into the final. “

Hamish Rutherford top-scored with 75 for the New Zealanders in Worcester but they were largely kept in check by the hosts

George Dobell at New Road15-May-2015
Scorecard2:35

IPL costing NZ players valuable preparation

From a certain angle, you might convince yourself that things are as they always have been at New Road. The horse chestnut trees still bloom, they still queue for tea in the Ladies’ Pavilion and they haven’t as much as added a conservatory to the cathedral.But this is a much-changed game. Whereas on New Zealand’s first Test tour of England in 1931, they played 32 first-class matches in all – even as late as 1999, they played 12 – this time, their premier players will go into the first Test having not played a red-ball match for five months.Instead, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson will meet up with the New Zealand squad as little as two days before the start of the series against England. After their spells in the IPL, they will go into the first Test reliant upon the practice they have gained from taking some Dukes balls to India to use in net sessions when possible. It is far from ideal preparation.To underline the new balance of power, Corey Anderson, who has joined up with the squad in Worcester, is awaiting clearance from Mumbai Indians before he can take part in this warm-up game. Not so long ago, it was national boards who granted clearance and domestic teams who waited. But money changes everything and not always for the better.It is nobody’s fault. The players, with a finite career in which to maximise their earnings, are understandably keen to take advantage of the opportunity the IPL provides and argue that the experience improves them as cricketers. New Zealand Cricket cannot compete with the money on offer. The compromise solution is not unreasonable.None of this means New Zealand will be a pushover in the Test series. There is too much talent, experience and professionalism in this squad to expect that. But it does mean that an England side who, once again, seem to be at the start of a new era, are not likely to come up against a side quite as well-prepared to exploit their weaknesses as might have been the case.Certainly there was no obvious disparity between the tourists and the county side at New Road on Friday. While the New Zealand seamers possessed more pace, the ability of the Worcestershire attack to harness the conditions exposed some fragility among the New Zealand batting against the moving ball. For a side that is about to face James Anderson on an early season wicket, that must be a concern.New Zealand’s opening combination will come under examination and Tom Latham fell cheaply, pushing at one outside off stump, before a stand of 68 between the two other candidates, Martin Guptill and Hamish Rutherford. Latham’s Test average of 40.23 and the fact he has played nine consecutive Tests since debut might make him feel secure of his place – he also made a half-century at the start of the tour in Taunton – but while Rutherford is the other incumbent, Guptill’s one-day form has pushed him back into contention.Rutherford resisted stoutly here, going into lunch unbeaten on 40, and Guptill appeared to have done the hard work before mistiming one that seemed to stop in the pitch and gifting a catch to mid-on. While Rutherford was rarely fluent – he reached his half-century with just his third boundary, an edge through the slip cordon off the deserving Charlie Morris – he generally left with sound judgement and demonstrated the patience required to prosper in such bowler-friendly conditions.Until he came up against Moeen Ali, anyway. Moeen, knowing he was some way below his best, asked to play in this game and soon drew Rutherford down the pitch with a ball that dipped sharply and spun to beat his outside edge. A little later, he also had Mark Craig beaten in the flight and caught at extra cover.After a couple of modest bowling performances – in Barbados for England and at Edgbaston for Worcestershire – this was a more encouraging display from Moeen. He still looks short of bowling – one full toss was thrashed for six by Craig – but there were fewer short balls and he also looked in fluent form with the bat in the evening. Perfectly straight drives for four and six were probably the strokes of the day.The same could not be said of Ross Taylor. After his brief innings was ended by an edge as he reached for a ball well outside off stump, he trudged off to the nets for another long practice session. He has been caught behind in all three of his innings on tour to date and looks less compact than in his prime.BJ Watling edged a good one that appeared to bounce and take the outside edge, while Luke Ronchi was caught at second slip as he attempted to leave a short. Only a ninth-wicket stand of 70 took New Zealand above 250.Nobody, surely, would be unwise enough to call New Zealand “mediocre” or suggest that there should be “some enquiries” if they win the series, but with much media focus currently on the fresh bout of chaos and bickering within England cricket, this was a reminder that life for their opposition is also far from perfect.

Glamorgan batsman Will Bragg scored his second hundred of the summer to ensure honours remained fairly even at the mid-point of their Championship clash with Kent in Canterbury

Press Association11-May-2015
ScorecardWill Bragg hit his second hundred of the season to keep Glamorgan in touch•Getty ImagesGlamorgan batsman Will Bragg scored his second hundred of the summer to ensure honours remained fairly even at the mid-point of their Championship clash with Kent in Canterbury.Bragg, fresh from a career-best 120 against Leicestershire in the first round of this season’s Division Two games, hit a dozen boundaries in his 208-ball innings as Glamorgan posted 281 all out in response to Kent’s season’s best first-innings total of 357.The left-hander from Newport took advantage of a let-off with his score on 16 to reach the fourth hundred of his career and cut Kent’s first-innings advantage to a mere 76 runs.With his side in trouble on 54 for 3, Wagg was fortunate to see Matt Coles, stationed at second slip, drop a comfortable catch off the bowling of Calum Haggett and went on to bat late into the last session on an easing pitch.Kent looked set for a considerable first innings lead as they claimed three wickets in the 90-minute stint through to lunch. Rookie Ivan Thomas set the tone by trapping James Kettleborough leg before with an offcutter, then Coles ripped out the off stump of Jacques Rudolph and, when bowling around the wicket, had left-hander Colin Ingram snaffled at second slip.Glamorgan counter attacked in the middle session but, although the run rate increased, wickets still fell at regular intervals. Chris Cooke cutting at Darren Stevens picked out Joe Denly at cover point then Mark Wallace was caught behind down the leg side when attempting to glance against Thomas.Graham Wagg prodded forward in defence at a Stevens’ awayswinger to edge low to James Tredwell at slip and, with their score on 170 for 6 at tea, Glamorgan still had concerns over reaching their 208-run follow-on figure.Tredwell pocketed another catch in the cordon after tea to account for Craig Meschede and give Haggett a deserved scalp on his comeback appearance, but Bragg ensured that batting again would not be Glamorgan’s fate. He moved to 99 by steering one from Coles to third man then punched a single to extra cover to raise three figures having spent a shade under four hours at the crease.Bragg’s vigil ended when Thomas returned to bowl him around his legs for 104, then Stevens plucked out Michael Hogan’s middle stump. Stevens, Thomas and Coles all finished with three wickets apiece and Kent batted out the final over of the day, scoring a single to extend their lead to 77.At the start of day two, Glamorgan required barely half an hour to take Kent’s two remaining first-innings scalps, with Hogan bagging a season’s best 5 for 71. A cameo 25 from Coles eased Kent past 350 for a fourth batting bonus point.

Having broken their five-match losing streak, Pakistan will be looking to balance their goal of winning the series with their need to experiment for the position of the extra bowler

The Preview by Rachna Shetty11-Dec-2014Match factsFriday, December 12, 2014
Start time 1500 local (1100 GMT)1:17

New Zealand look to end top order woes

Big picturePakistan broke their five-match losing streak with a thrilling win over New Zealand in Dubai. The bigger gain though, according to captain Misbah-ul-Haq, was the success of Haris Sohail’s part-time left-arm spin as Pakistan look for options for the sixth bowler’s slot, following Mohammad Hafeez’s ban.Hafeez’s suspension, coming soon after Saeed Ajmal’s suspension, has left Pakistan’s combination for the series and the World Cup a little uncertain, and the side is actively exploring its options with batsmen who can bowl. With Hafeez likely to leave after the second ODI, to work on remodeling his action, Pakistan will have another vacant slot in their XI open for experimentation. The challenge for Pakistan – who have had an erratic year in terms of ODI results – will be to ensure that they keep winning and gain some momentum before the World Cup despite the experiments.The batting innings of both teams followed similar trajectories in the last game. While Misbah brushed off Pakistan’s top-order stutter as “an off day”, New Zealand’s top order was missing Martin Guptill. In the field, New Zealand were done in by the level-headed stand between Shahid Afridi and Haris Sohail, and Nathan McCullum later said the side had missed “a key moment” when they failed to keep Pakistan’s chase in check.Ahead of the second ODI, however, the side received a boost when Kane Williamson was cleared to resume bowling in international cricket, enhancing the side’s spin options in conducive conditions. A 0-1 scoreline has become a familiar sight for New Zealand on this tour but they have shown the tenacity to fight back. They levelled the Test series with an innings victory a few weeks ago and Kane Williamson was hopeful some of that confidence would rub off on the vastly different ODI side.Form guide(most recent first, completed matches only)
Pakistan WLLLL
New Zealand LLLWWIn the spotlightJimmy Neesham’s highest score on the tour has been 11•Getty ImagesJimmy Neesham has faced a dip in batting form since New Zealand’s tour to the West Indies earlier this year. He made 16 and 10 in the ODIs against South Africa in October and his highest score on this tour has been 17. Ross Taylor’s century carried New Zealand in the last game but if the top order fails, runs from Neesham will be crucial.Pakistan experimented with Sarfraz Ahmed’s batting order in the first ODI, pushing him down to No. 7. He scored only 26 but his resourceful innings revived a flagging chase, and provided Haris Sohail and Shahid Afridi the launching pad for their match-winning stand. He could return to the top order after Hafeez leaves the squad but for this game, Pakistan could look at keeping his batting position flexible.Team newsMartin Guptill missed the first game due to a hamstring niggle while Corey Anderson was rested as a precautionary measure after being hit on the helmet during the first T20. Their fitness will be assessed on the morning of the game.New Zealand (probable) 1 Anton Devcich, 2 Dean Brownlie, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham, 6 Jimmy Neesham, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 Nathan McCullum, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Adam Milne/Matt HenryPakistan are likely to opt for an unchanged XI but if they do change their XI, it could be in the bowling line-up with Sohail Tanvir possibly coming in in place of Umar Gul.Pakistan 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Haris Sohail, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Shahid Afridi, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Mohammad IrfanPitch and conditionsThe Sharjah pitch is known for high scores but during the last game that Pakistan played there – against Australia in October – it also offered help for the spinners. Williamson said that the track during the Test series was devoid of grass but had more pace and bounce than the other venues. Teams winning the toss and batting have won 66 of the 125 matches played at the venue.Stats & trivia New Zealand’s highest opening stand in 11 ODIs in 2014 is 56 – between Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder against West Indies in January 2014. New Zealand’s opening batsmen have had only two half-century stands in 2014 compared to Pakistan, who have had five, including a century partnership The most successful chase at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium was the 285 for 4 by West Indies against Pakistan, way back in November 1993 Pakistan and New Zealand have played ten ODIs in Sharjah, with Pakistan winning all ten. Pakistan have not won more than five ODIs against New Zealand at any other venue.Quotes”Given the conditions our fast bowlers did well in the first game despite little support from the pitch, and I hope they continue to bowl like that.”
“There will be some good memories for some of the lads, but it is important we focus on what lies in front of us and the Pakistan side is quite different as well, so all those challenges need to be considered.”

Ireland’s unbeaten start to the World Cup will face its toughest test yet against South Africa, who still have injury concerns over Vernon Philander and JP Duminy

Firdose Moonda02-Mar-2015Match factsMarch 3, 2015, Canberra
Start time 14:30 local (03:30 GMT)What will AB de Villiers have in store this time?•Getty ImagesBig pictureThe World Cup so far: South Africa, beaten once, Ireland unbeaten.Predictable as the tournament may have become in some ways, you cannot say you expected to read that. Ireland have also bucked the trend in Australia by chasing a tough target successfully under lights against UAE, one of just two successful pursuits in that part of the draw (the other being India’s against UAE when the lights weren’t needed in Perth).Victories over West Indies and UAE have left Ireland looking good for the knockouts with half their matches still to play, although they will know their strongest opposition in the group is still to come. That starts in Canberra, where they will take on a South African side sufficiently recovered from a defeat to India and buoyed by their performance over West Indies.Both sides will clear their own paths to the quarters with a win in this match and South Africa will be the strong favourites to get that. They may even regard their hiccup for the competition over after they dominated West Indies, albeit with an injury setback to JP Duminy and two reserves in the starting XI.That performance allowed almost all South Africa’s squad members, barring left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso, to find form and they will want nothing more than to take that back to New Zealand especially if they hit cruise control when they get there – and a win over Ireland will allow that.For Ireland, defeat will not mean disaster but an upset would be another jolt to the global order. It would also maintain them as the only unbeaten team alongside New Zealand and India.Form guide(last five matches, most recent first)
South Africa WLWWL
Ireland WWLWWIn the spotlightIn a tournament dominated by the batsmen there have been a few outstanding displays from bowlers, but Dale Steyn has yet to have a say. He has a wicket from each of the three games South Africa have played and pulled back his economy rate from more than seven runs an over against Zimbabwe to less than four runs an over against West Indies, but he seems to be missing some of the menace that makes his magic. Steyn has not been as quick or as aggressive as usual and has let some of South Africa’s other bowlers take over from him as the spearhead. But that may all have been part of his warming up and if he is ready to go, opposition line-ups will have something to fear.Ireland’s batting has proved, twice in this tournament alone, that they can stand up for themselves so it will be up to their bowlers to step up. George Dockrell is their highest wicket-taker with four scalps while Max Sorensen leads their pack. South Africa do not struggle against either left-arm spin or pace but have been known to be outthought by craftiness and guile, which is what Ireland’s pack will need to find to keep them quiet.Team newsVernon Philander and JP Duminy are still recovering from hamstring and side strains respectively and South Africa will likely take the cautious approach over their availability. That should give Rilee Rossouw and Kyle Abbott another opportunity after both performed impressively against West Indies. South Africa may still be deciding between which allrounder to use with Farhaan Behardien and Wayne Parnell the candidates.South Africa 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Rilee Rossouw, 5 AB de Villiers (capt), 6 David Miller, 7 Farhaan Behardien/Wayne Parnell, 8 Kyle Abbott, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran TahirIreland have no reason to alter a strong batting line-up and will likely stick with the same attack they used against West Indies. Alex Cusack came in for Andy McBrine and they may want the extra seamer rather than slower bowler given the surface.Ireland 1 Williams Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Ed Joyce, 4 Niall O’Brien, 5 Andy Balbirnie, 6 Gary Wilson (wk), 7 Kevin O’Brien, 8 John Mooney, 9 Alex Cusack, 10 Max Sorenson, 11 George DockrellPitch and conditionsAlthough Afghanistan made run scoring look like hard work at this venue, this was the surface Chris Gayle plundered 200 runs on a week ago. Zimbabwe responded with a total just shy of 300. A flat pitch and fast outfield should provide plenty more runs as the tournament says goodbye to the Australian capital. Warm weather of 29 degrees is forecast with no rain.Quotes”You can sit all day and talk about him and different theories and plans and whatever, but you’ve got to stick to your best ball and how you go about things. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel or change how you play really against one player.”
“In my opinion he is a level above most batters…I wouldn’t want to be in bowling analysis meetings when preparing for de Villiers.”
Farhaan Behardien wishes Ireland good luck at bowling to the aforementioned de Villiers

Karnataka chairman of selectors Sudhakar Rao has ruled out any bias in the decision to pick offspinner Udit Patel for the first-round Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu

Nagraj Gollapudi06-Dec-2014Karnataka’s chairman of selectors Sudhakar Rao has ruled out any bias in the decision to pick offspinner Udit Patel for the first-round Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu, which starts on Sunday in Bangalore. Udit is the son of Brijesh Patel, former India batsman and secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.Rao’s explanation comes in the wake of former Karnataka and India captain Rahul Dravid’s criticism against the selectors for taking a backward step by picking Udit in the 16-man squad despite unimpressive performances.”I am extremely disappointed to see Udit back in the side,” Dravid said on Friday. “Look, I have nothing against the boy. If he has been picked, he has been picked. It is not his fault. But look at his numbers – he averages 45 in 31 first-class games, his performances this season across formats have been nothing to write home about. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he wasn’t even able to complete his quota of 10 overs.”I have no issues with the fact that he is 30, but the numbers just don’t stack up. The selectors really need to be clear about their vision, they can’t take two steps backwards when someone averages 45.”However Rao, a former Karnataka batsman who played a solitary ODI for India, countered Dravid and said the team was selected after consulting with the coach and captain.”We sit with the head coach, bowling coach, batting coach and the captain before we pick up the squad. But we will not interfere with the final XI,” Rao told ESPNcricinfo.Rao also pointed out that Brijesh Patel did not attend the selection meetings even though, as the association’s secretary, he could have acted as convenor. “All the three selection meetings have been convened by the president [Ashok Anand].”This will be Udit’s second stint with Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy. Ignored by the previous selection panels, he switched to Tripura in the 2011-12 season but failed to make much impact as nine wickets in 12 matches at an average of 77 would suggest. He has played 31 first-class matches overall and picked up 54 wickets at an average of 45.62.Such numbers were the reason behind Dravid’s concern, Rao said Udit’s performance in the recent years were part of the discussion.In the Vijay Hazare Trophy that Karnataka won last month, Udit managed five wickets from six matches at an average of 38. But he had finished as the most successful bowler for Mangalore United and seventh overall in the Karnataka Premier League, with nine wickets at average of 20 and an economy rate of 6.92.”He has been fairly doing well,” Rao said. “[His selection] was based on the performance also. He has done well in Vijay Hazare. He has done well in both the Dr (Captain) K Thimmappaiah Memorial All India Invitation Cricket Tournament (four-day) and the Karnataka Premier League tournament this year. Two years back, he was the highest wicket-taker in the KSCA League.”Rao, though, stressed that the coaches had final say in deciding the XI. “In the finals of Vijay Hazare they did not play [Udit]. It is not necessary that even if he is picked in the 15 he will play in the final XI.”While Rao said he could not get Dravid on the line to explain the situation, he questioned the timing of the criticism. “We won three tournaments last year. We also retained the Vijay Hazare Trophy this year. I don’t understand why they are commenting on the selection now.”Dravid was also critical of the selectors opting to pick 16 players for a home match. “Pick 15 initially, at the most, and when you decide on your playing XI, send one or two guys to the Under-23 team, that is a positive sign because you need players to get game time, not just sit on the bench. The selectors must have conviction in what they do, they must take tough decisions. Picking 16 players for a home game suggests to me that they are trying to please too many people,” Dravid said.However, Rao argued that the youngsters who would not play against Tamil Nadu would immediately travel to Hubli to participate in the BCCI’s Under-23 tournament.”When we play in Bangalore we name 16 players. From December 8, the Under-23 tournament is being played in Hubli. Previously BCCI would allow only three Ranji players in the Under-23 tournament. But from this year there is no such restriction. We have about eight Ranji players who are eligible to play in Under-23. One more reason to select 16 players is if some of these boys do not feature in the final XI for Ranji team, we will ask them to go to Hubli and represent Karnataka A instead of sitting on the bench.”